Folding table and bench construction



July 5, 1966 H. F. SHAW ETAL FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH CONSTRUCTION Filed April 13, 1965 INVENTORS HAROLD F. SHAW RAYMOND J. SARASIN BENJAMIN K. BURNHAM ATTORNEY FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH CONSTRUCTION Harold F. Shaw, Leominster, Raymond J. Sarasin, Fitchburg, and Benjamin K. Burnham, Gardner, Mass, as-

signors to Thayer, Inc., Gardner, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 447,744 10 Claims. (Cl. 297-159) This invention relates to a folding combination table and bench construction which includes a one piece table top provided with means for supporting the same in extended condition for use or folded condition for storage, and including at least one and preferably two benches, that is, one bench at each side of the table, these benches being supported on members which fold automatically with the folding of the table supporting structure.

One of the principal objects of the invention resides in a folding construction as aforesaid which embodies a completely fool proof locking means preventing accidental folding or collapse of any of the supporting mech- United States Patent anism, this means being necessarily manually operated in order to release the structure from an extended locked condition so that it can be folded, to the end that the user of the apparatus, particularly children, are unable to accidentally fold the structure and thereby become injured either by falling or catching their fingers in the mechanism.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an extremely sturdy but easily foldable table and bench construction of the class described in which the folding structure is particularly adapted to a single table top so that there is no possibility of children catching their fingers in the table construction which is apt to happen when folding devices of the character described include a pair of table sections.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of folding linkages supporting both the table top and the benches, said linkages cooperating together and being locked by a single means, so that neither the table support nor the benches can be folded without the other part also being folded, and also so that the lock construction must be deliberately manually actuated in order to fold the construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in end elevation illustrating the combined table and bench structure in extended position for 7 use;

FIG. 2 illustrates the same partially folded, and

FIG. 3 shows the construction in fully closed condition.

In illustrating the invention, there is shown a single table top member 10 which may of course be of any width and length but which is made of a single member in and of itself not being foldable. Looking at FIG. 1 there is shown a folding mechanism for supporting the table and also a pair of benches 12, 14 and it is to be understood that this same mechanism is duplicated at the opposite end of the table and benches which may be substantially coextensive insofar as length is concerned but in which of course the benches will have considerably less width than the table top member 10.

The folding structure at each end of the table comprises a pair of spaced parallel brackets 16, 18 attached to the lower side of the table adjacent the side edges thereof. Links 20 and 22 are pivoted to the brackets as at 24, 26. Link 20 has a straight portion and a portion that extends angularly thereto as seen in FIG. 1 at 28.

3,259,426 Patented July 5, 1965 The other link 22 however is straight throughout its length but terminates as at 30 just past a pivot point which is indicated at 32. In the illustration in FIG. 1 however, another link 34 which is pivoted at one end at 32 to the link 22, at its lower end extends in conformance but reversely with respect to the portion of the link 20 at 23, and is interpivoted thereto at its opposite end at 36. Therefore in FIG. 1 it woud appear that the links 20 on the one hand and 22 and 36 on the other hand are alike but reversed, but the link 22 in effect is provided with a joint at 32. This structure is perhaps more clearly shown in FIG. 2 wherein the linkage is partly folded.

The pivot at 32 has a counterpart at 38 on link 2%). A leg member 49 is pivoted at 32 to links 22 and 34, and the pivot at 38 connects the link 20 intermediate its ends to a similar but reversed leg member 412. The leg members 40 and 42 may be of any description but one relatively simple way of forming these legs is to use U-shaped tubes and the parts are broken away slightly in FIG. 1 to show the corresponding legs at the other end of the table as at 44 and 46.

In any event, the inner ends of the leg members 40, 44 on the one hand and 42, 46 on the other hand are interconnected by a pivot member 50 and below pivots 32 and 38 the legs are interpivoted as at 52 and 54 with respect to seat supporting frame members 56 and 58. The frame members again are easily made in U form or as a matter of fact the members 56 and 53 can be separate and independent. They mount at the outer ends thereof the seat members 12 and 14-, and there are like seat supporting members at the opposite ends of the seats.

The supporting members 56 and 58 are interpivoted at their inner ends at 60 and at this point there is also interpivoted a locking link 62. This locking link extends generally upwardly in FIG. 1 and is pivoted as at 64 to a bell-crank type of member generally indicated at 66; that is, the link 62 is pivoted at its upper end as at 64 to the arm of the bell-crank 66 and the bell-crank is in turn pivoted at its opposite end at 50, to the inner ends of legs 40 and 42.

All of the pivot members in this case are conveniently made of headed rivets or the like members which are freely pivotable and the bell-crank 66 acts as a past dead center lock which locks the structure in the solid line position of FIG. 1.

In order to fold the structure, it is necessary to move the bell-crank 66 from the solid line position thereof in FIG. 1, to the dotted line position which is past the dead center between pivots 56 and 60. Until the pivot 64 is past the line between the pivots 50 and.6t] all of the parts including the table and its supporting structure and the benches 12 and 14 and its supporting structure are locked in extended position. However with the locking arrangement including bell-crank 66 and link 62 in the dotted line position in FIG. 1, it is now possible to fold the entire construction principally by moving the leg members at) and 44 on the one hand and 42 and 46 on the other hand toward each other past the intermediate folded position shown in FIG. 2 to the fully folded position shown in FIG. 3. All the linkage follow. In this connection it is to be noted that as soon as the folding action starts, the link 22, 34 breaks at 32 so that the table top tilts to the right in FIG. 2. In other words, the legs 40 and 42 as they come toward each other also fold the table over to the right, so that finally the table top and the legs come into a substantially parallel position as shown in FIG. 3.

' In the meantime, the bell-crank 66 is moved in a clockwise direction through the solid line position of FIG. 2

the bench supports 56 and 58 to be also drawn toward each other in the manner shown in FIG. 2. Thus it is seen that all the parts are forced to move cooperatively and it is not necessary to fold any one part or the other and then fold another part, but all of the parts move smoothly together from extended position to folded position.

When the parts are folded as shown in FIG. 3, the leg members 40, 42 can be used as a handle by turning the structure upside down and the device is very easily carried, stacked, or stored in any way desired.

In order to extend the device from its folded condition as shown in FIG. 3 it is merely necessary to spread the legs through the FIG. 2 position toward the FIG. 1 position, and when the parts are essentially extended as shown in FIG. 1, then the bell-crank past dead center latching member 66 is pushed from left to right from the dotted line position to the solid line position shown in FIG. 1, and the parts are fully and firmly latched in this condition.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what we claim is:

1. A folding table construction comprising a onepiece rigid table top, a pair of links pivoted to corresponding ends thereof at the under side of the table, a pair of legs, said legs being interpivoted at the corresponding inner ends thereof and to the links, said legs extending normally outwardly therefrom to a supporting position for said table, a pair of interpivoted members which are separately pivoted intermediate their ends one to each leg intermediate the ends of the legs;

and a latch, said latch comprising a member pivoted at one end to the two legs at the interpivot point thereof, said latch including a latch link which is pivoted thereto and to said pair of interpivoted members at the point of interpivotal action thereof. 1

said latch having a locking position wherein the pivot between the latch member and the latch link is to one side of a line between the pivot point of the legs and the pivot point of said interpivoted members, so that when the latch is on one side of this line it forms a past dead center lock which only serves to look more securely under conditions of weight being placed on the table, but is manually movable to the other side of said line wherein it releases the structure for folding.

2. The folding table construction recited in claim 1 wherein said latch member includes an offset arm, and the pivot point with respect to the latch link is located in the arm.

3. The folding table construction recited in claim 1 wherein said latch member comprises a bell-crank and the latch link is connected to an arm of the bell-crank.

4. A folding table and bench construction comprising a onepiece rigid table top, a pair of seats, a pair of links pivoted at their ends at the under side of the table top, a pair of legs, said legs being interpivoted at corresponding ends, each of said legs being pivoted to a separate seat, said legs also being interpivoted with respect to said links intermediate the ends thereof and extending outwardly therefrom to a supporting position,

a pair of interpivoted members supporting the seats, said seat supporting members being separably pivoted intermediate their ends one to each of said legs,

and a locking latch, said locking latch comprising a movable member and a latch link pivoted to said member and to the seat supporting members at the interpivoting point thereof, said latch having a locking position wherein the pivot between the movable latch member and the latch link is to one side of the line between the pivot point of the legs and the pivot point of the seat supporting members wherein it forms a past dead center lock but is manually removable to the opposite side of said line to release the entire structure for folding action.

5. The folding table and bench construction recited in claim 4 wherein said latch member includes an offset arm, and the pivot point with respect to the latch link is located in the arm.

6. The folding table and bench construction recited in claim 4 wherein said latch member comprises a bellcrank and the latch link is connected to an arm of the bellcrank.

7. A folding table and bench construction including a onepiece rigid table top, a pair of links pivoted to each other at corresponding ends thereof, the other ends of the links being pivoted to the table top, a pair of legs, said legs being interpivoted at the corresponding inner ends thereof and to the links intermediate the ends of said links, said legs extending outwardly to a supporting position,

a pair of seats, a pair of interpivoted members supporting said seats, said seat supporting members being separably pivoted intermediate their ends, one to each of said legs,

and a latch, said latch comprising a member pivoted at one of its ends to the legs at the interpivot point there- 'of and including a latch link pivoted to said latch and to the seat supporting members at the interpivot point 'therebetween, said latch having a locking position wherein the pivot between the latch member and the latch link is located in a past dead center position relative to the interpivot points of the legs and seat supporting members.

8. A folding table and bench construction including a onepiece rigid table top, a pair of links pivoted to corresponding ends thereof at the under side of the table top, one link being longer than the other, a pair of legs, said legs being interpivoted at the corresponding inner ends thereof and to the links, said legs normally extending outwardly therefrom to a supporting position,

a third link pivoted at one end to the shorter link, said third link being pivoted at its other end to the corresponding end of the first-named link,

a pair of seats, a pair of interpivoted members supporting said seats, said seat supporting members being pivoted intermediate their ends, and releasable means for selectively holding the folding table and bench construction in extended condition for use or allowing said legs, table top and links to fold, said third link providing for the folding of the onepiece rigid table top to one side only of the links and legs.

9. A folding table and bench construction including a onepiece rigid table top, a pair of links pivoted at corresponding ends thereof at the under side of the table top, one link being longer than the other, a pair of legs, said legs being interpivoted at the corresponding inner ends thereof, one leg being interpivoted to the longer link intermediate the ends thereof and extending outwardly therefrom to a supporting position, and the other leg being interpivoted to the shorter link at the other end of the latter and extending in the other direction outwardly to a supporting position,

a third link pivoted at one end to the shorter link at the end pivoted to the other leg, said third link being pivoted at its other end to the corresponding end of the first-named link,

a pair of seats, a pair of interpivoted members supporting said seats, said seat supporting members being separately pivoted intermediate their ends, one to each leg, intermediate the ends of the latter,

and a past dead center latch, said latch comprising a bell-crank pivoted at one end to the legs where they are interpivoted at the inner ends thereof, said bellcrank including a laterally extending arm, a latch link pivoted to said arm and to the seat supporting mem- !bers at the point of interpivoting thereof,

said past dead center latch having a locking position wherein the pivot between the arm of the bell-crank said past dead center latch having a locking position wherein the pivot between its arm and the latch link is past a line between the pivot point of the legs and the pivot point of the seat supporting members, so that when it is at one side thereof it forms a past dead center lock and when it is at the other side thereof it 10. A folding table and bench construction including 1 68 the Struc ure for folding. a onepiece rigid table top, a pair of links pivoted at corresponding ends thereof at the under side of the table top, a pair of legs, said legs being interpivoted at the 10 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS corresponding inner ends thereof and to the links inter- 1 44,35 10 1927 Reed .42 mediate the ends thereof, said legs extending outwardly 1,990,032 2/1935 Johnson 248 166 therefrom to a supporting position, 1,994,952 3/ 1935 Kayser 1081 18 X a pair of seats, a pair of interpivoted members support- 15 2,486,093 10/ 1949 Amelung 599.1 ing said seats, said seat supporting members being 3,141,424 7/1964 Seymour 297-159 X separately pivoted intermediate their ends, one to each 3,191,991 6/1965 Anderson et a1; 108115 X leg, intermediate the ends of the latter, FOREIGN PATENTS and a past dead center latch pivoted at one end to 16,215 8/1903 Sweden.

the legs Where they are interpivoted at the inner ends 20 thereof, said latch including a laterally extending arm, a latch link pivoted to said arm and to the seat supporting members at the point of interpiv-oting thereof,

CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

I. T. MCCALL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FOLDING TABLE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A ONEPIECE RIGID TABLE TOP, A PAIR OF LINKS PIVOTED TO CORRESPONDING ENDS THEREOF AT THE UNDER SIDE OF THE TABLE, A PAIR OF LEGS, SAID LEGS BEING INTERPIVOTED AT THE CORRESPONDING INNER ENDS THEREOF AND TO THE LINKS, SAID LEGS EXTENDING NORMALLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM TO A SUPPORTING POSITION FOR SAID TABLE, A PAIR OF INTERPIVOTED MEMBERS WHICH ARE SEPARATELY PIVOTED INTERMEDIATE THEIR ENDS ONE TO EACH LEG INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE LEGS; AND A LATCH, SAID LATCH COMPRISING A MEMBER PIVOTED AT ONE END TO THE TWO LEGS AT THE INTERPIVOT POINT THEREOF, SAID LATCH INCLUDING A LATCH LINK WHICH IS PIVOTED THERETO AND TO SAID PAIR OF INTERPIVOTED MEMBERS AT THEPOINT OF INTERPIVOTAL ACTION THEREOF. SAID LATCH HAVING A LOCKING POSITION WHEREIN THE PIVOT BETWEEN THE LATCH MEMBER AND THE LATCH LINK IS TO ONE SIDE OF A LINE BETWEEN THE PIVOT OF THE LEGS AND THE PIVOT POINT OF SAID INTERPIVOTED MEMBERS, SO THAT WHEN THE LATCH IS ON ONE SIDE OF THIS LINE IT FORMS A PAST DEAD CENTER LOCK WHICH ONLY SERVES TO LOCK MORE SECURELY UNDER CONDITIONS OF WEIGHT BEING PLACED ON THE TABLE, BUT IS MANUALLY MOVABLE TO THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID LINE WHEREIN IT RELEASES THE STRUCTURE FOR FOLDING. 